The Great Gatsby


The book The Great Gatsby and F. Scott Fitzgerald were important to the fads and fashion in the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald promoted the idea of the flapper and he wrote many books pertaining to the ideas of the 1920s. He was determined and driven at the time and this was seen as exciting and influential to Americans. However, Americans at this time were easily influenced and were reaching for ideas promoted by icons that were sometimes corrupt. Fitzgerald’s book the Great Gatsby showed the spirit of the twenties. It showed that even though on the outside the American dreams of the decade looked favorable, they were often misguided. Things such as fashions could be seen on the outside as new and popular, yet the people wearing those clothes could be corrupt. Flappers often smoke, drank and they were sexually promiscuous. Flappers were just a fad, but for the three years they were active they were very influential and helped portray some of the desperateness in society at that time Fitzgerald showed the loss of spirituality of the period and in the 1920s fads were used to take people’s minds off stressful life. He showed how there were problems with wealth and society. Although fashions could identify the changes that women and men were experiencing and fads could help people enjoy life, the true ideas behind society were often materialistic and immoral. “The Great Gatsby” does a good job portraying this and it points out many examples of fashions and fads. “gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” Pearls and other jewelry were fashionable at the time. “was now attired in an elaborate afternoon dress of cream-colored chiffon, which gave out a continual rustle as she swept about the room. With the influence of the dress her personality had also undergone change.” This quote also shows the ideas that the clothing you wear can change the way you feel. The book also talks about movie theatres, dancing, and mint juleps. These were all quite popular at the time. F. Scott Fitzgerald and his books embodied important ideas of the twenties.


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Works Cited:

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925.
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